Bindra demands ICC enquiry on Srinivasan

Former BCCI president and current principal advisor to the ICC president, IS Bindra, has requested the ICC to conduct an enquiry on N Srinivasan and bar him from the ICC until the completion of the investigation. Mr. Srinivasan has stepped aside from his duties as BCCI president till an internal probe on IPL corruption was completed.

In an open letter, which was released to the media in London on Wednesday, Bindra pointed out the clauses that states that the directors should not use their position with the ICC for personal advantage or gain. "It gives me great pain to write this letter, especially because the person who is at the centre of the controversy happens to be heading the same board of which I have been a member for the last 38 years and served as its President," he wrote in his letter.

"However I have always believed that the game is greater than any individual and the truth must come to light," Bindra, a former advisor with the ICC, added.

During the period of the mid 90's, Mr. Bindra, along with Jagmohan Dalmiya, helped cricket turn into a highly successful business property. He has been a vocal critic of Mr. Srinivasan and was the first board member to demand his resignation when the crisis broke out. Mr. Bindra has also cited several instances of impropriety by Mr. Srinivasan.

He pointed out that the arrest of Mr. Gurunath Meiyappan, Mr. Srinivasan's son-in-law, for betting allegations in the IPL, meant that Mr. Srinivasan was in breach of several codes that ICC directors need to adhere to under the code of ethics. Mr. Bindra claimed that Mr. Srinivasan was in breach of clause 2.1 which states: "Directors shall act in an ethical manner and shall not engage in conduct that gives the appearance of impropriety."

Mr. Bindra also said that Mr. Srinivasan was also in breach of clause 7 of the code. This deals with 'Betting, Gaming and Gambling'. In sub-section 7.2 and sub-para d, the code states: "It is not permitted and a Director shall be in breach of this Code if a member of his immediate family (being a spouse, parent, sibling, son or daughter) has a controlling interest in a betting business, a substantial relationship with a betting business or is employed in the day to day operational control of a betting business."

There have been no reports so far of Mr. Meiyappan running a betting business but since he has been charged by the police in betting, this clause may be applied to Mr. Srinivasan.

Mr. Bindra also pointed out that Mr. Srinivasan could be in a potential conflict of interest situation if he attends the meeting of the Finance and Commercial affairs (F&CA) committee if he attends the conference. Mr. Srinivasan is an independent member of the committee. Mr. Bindra also wrote that Star, the current broadcasting partner of the ICC, through one of its channels (Life OK) is a sponsor of the Chennai Super Kings Franchise, a team owned by the company controlled by Mr. Srinivasan.

Star Sports is broadcast partner for all major ICC events till 2015 and the F&CA committee has been deliberating about the renewal of rights. The committee will soon advise the ICC on future course of action.

Bindra said he and numerous cricket lovers across the globe have reservations about Srinivasan attending the London meetings.

"In your capacity as the Board of Directors, it is not only an obligation but a sacrosanct responsibility to administer the application and implementation of the Ethics Code. As you will no doubt be aware, the ICC Code of Ethics sets out a number of rules that govern the conduct of Mr Srinivasan as an ICC Director," Bindra, the current chairman of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) wrote.

Mr. Bindra also pointed out a much known conflict of interest in situation regarding Mr. Srinivasan, in which he owned an IPL franchise through his company, India Cements, despite being a BCCI office-bearer and thereby also an ICC member. This was in breach of clause 4.1 which states: "Directors must be free from any influence which might interfere or appear to interfere with the proper and efficient discharge of their duties, or which might be inconsistent with their duty of loyalty to the ICC. It is also the duty of Directors not to use their position with the ICC for personal advantage or gain. To that end no Director shall have an undisclosed conflict of interest."

"You would agree, with great remorse, that cricket, once a gentleman's game has now become a businessman's game. It's no longer played by the book but by the bookies. Previously the most despised three letter word used to be "tax'. Now its replaced by "bet" or worse still "fix". It's time then that somebody stands up, musters the courage and puts the love of the game above everything else and presents a complaint against the current President of the BCCI Mr N Srinivasan," Bindra stated.